Selecting MPLS VPN Services

Major service providers worldwide are ramping up VPNs over IP and, since 2002, migrating from Layer 2 connections to Layer 3 IP MPLS/VPNs, indicating that IP MPLS/VPNs are the primary growth vehicle for service provider to enterprise connections. IP MPLS/VPNs are attractive for both parties. For enterprises, they enable right-sourcing of WAN services and yield generous operational cost savings. For service providers, they offer a higher level of service to customers and lower costs for service deployment. With migration comes challenge, however. Enterprises must understand key migration issues, what the realistic benefits are, and how to optimize new services. Providers must know what aspects of their services give value to enterprises and how they can provide the best value to customers. Selecting MPLS VPN Services provides enterprise network engineers the ability to analyze migration options, anticipate migration issues, and properly deploy IP/MPLS VPNs. Detailed configurations illustrate effective deployment, while case studies present available migration options and walk engineers through selecting the best option for the example network. Part I addresses the business case for moving to an IP/MPLS VPN network, with a chapter devoted to the business and technical issues that should be reviewed when evaluating IP MPLS/VPN offerings from major providers. Part II includes detailed deployment guidelines for the technologies used in the IP/MPLS VPN.